Let’s Walk the WEG Cross-Country with Allison Springer

The World Equestrian Games is, undoubtedly, a big 4 star course. Let Allison Springer take you around the course with some highlights, which questions are particularly hard, and which horses and riders will succeed. If you’re on the grounds make sure to take advantage of the PRO course walk led by Allison, Bruce Davidson, Amy Tryon, and Joe Meyers to get up close and personal. They’re taking off about noon from fence #5 (the first water obstacle). Take it away Allison!

World Equestrian Games Cross-Country

The course is absolutely gorgeous and beautiful to look at, is beautifully constructed and beautifully designed. It has the feel of Rolex in that it’s a big, galloping course. The real four-star horses will eat it up and have so much fun. If you have a true four-star horse and you can hold your line this course will be great. There are a number of three-star horses here and those riders, hopefully, will be smart enough to take the option. The questions are tough but there are good long routes. The course has a really good flow and is a well thought-out course. Some of the jumps we’ve seen in the past at Rolex but have been redesigned, I feel, for the better. It eases up coming home and, even if your horse is tired, if you can keep your rhythm you’re fine.

Individual WEG Fence Reviews

#5 is an absolutely gorgeous water jump. Isaac is an artist and did it all, it’s extraordinary artwork. The direct line is a bending four to the trout then to Kingfisher. The long route is nice but long, long route which does require you to jump the C and D element in the water. I think that overall for a lot of the complexes out there for the 4-star horses the direct route should be good. It’s very big but is actually straightforward.

Certainly the first and most impressive question on the course is the coffin. I do feel like it’s going to ride really tough but I see even the three-star horses trying to take a crack at it. If it doesn’t go well you’ll have a run out. You can choose the left or right corner so if your horse drifts either way you get to choose. You have to be certain your horse jumps straight across the ditch. Sometimes with that steep a landing they jump a little left or right. It’s a tough question and we’ll see some run-outs there. A is a pretty tall, airy vertical then steep landing. After that, a run up the hill and you have a pretty serious 90 degree corner. To go the long route is very, very long but a very good option if you’re going to have trouble there.

There’s a lot to do at the Head of the Lake. To go the direct route requires a pretty bold ride in. It’s a vertical with a brush that’s almost a vicarage V. We will see a lot of good horses take the long route in over the roll top.

The course eases up coming home with big brush combinations that are ugly for people to look at but the horses will be fine. Definitely this course will reward your bold four-star horses and riders like Phillip on Woodburn and Andrew Nicholson and Nereo. Don’t miss those rides!

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